PART 2

"So Syd, just what does Little Red Riding Hood have planned for Cousin It?" Sydney just shook his head and pointed. Miss Parker turned around, to see a very amused Willow.

"Well Parker, I need to be alone with him for a while, see how he acts without anyone else. I'm sure he's going to need a lot of work after being here."

"He is fine here, Miss Rosenburg." Willow whirled around to see an extremely old man carrying an oxygen tank. "Angelo is mine. We do not need you. You will not discover anything I don't already know. You may as well leave."

"Am I correct in assuming you are Raines? First off, I know I am needed here, otherwise I wouldn't have been called. Also, I'm sure my goals are more…team-oriented rather than self-profitable." She turned back to Sydney, dismissing Raines like a minion. He sputtered a bit, but finally left.

"Sydney, I was hoping you'd know of a place for me to stay. A hotel perhaps? One that would house myself and my associate?"

" I can't say that there are any close by. And even if there were, it would undoubtedly be under surveillance around the clock. Why don't you stay with me?"

"That would be great, but do you have enough room?"

Sydney smiled, a hint of evil in it. "No, I guess not. But Broots does!"

"I-I guess you could stay with my daughters and me, Miss Rosenburg," he offered.

"Please call me Willow. And I would love that, but are you sure you can handle guests right now?"

"We'll be fine," Broots assured her.

********

"Spike, I want you to be a perfect gentlemen," Willow reminded him as they were leaving the blackened-out car.

"Aren't I always, Red?"

"Not from what I've seen," she snapped back.

"Ah, but you haven't seen all of me," Spike winked at her. Willow rolled her eyes at his innuendo and knocked softly on Broots' door. A girl of about twelve opened the door.

"Are you Miss Rosenburg?" the girl asked. Willow nodded, and smiled warmly at her.

"This is Spike, we're going to be staying with you for the next couple of weeks."

"Oh, please come in," she asked. Spike cocked his head at her and took her hand, bringing it to his lips.

"Pleasure to meet you, miss…?"

"Anne!" Anne said, turning a bright shade of pink. She slowly took her hand away from the blonde and dashed back inside.

"Broots! You're people are here!" Broots emerged from the hallway, and invited the two in.

"Willow, I see you've met my daughter, Anne. Why don't you go to the kitchen, and we'll make you some coffee or something," the young man suggested. Spike grinned toothily, and followed Willow. He turned in time to see a smaller girl run up to him, holding her Barbie.

"Hi, what is your name?" She asked. She was fiddling with his leather duster, which would normally make him growl, but now he just saw it as cute. Willow must be making him soft.

"Spike. Do you like my coat?" The little girl nodded. "Are you going to tell me your name?"

"Only if you come see my coat!" she giggled and raced off to her bedroom. Without making a sound, he ran off after her. Broots' head whipped around to see the blonde man follow his daughter.

"Will he be all right?" he asked Willow.

"Of course. He loves kids, just doesn't show it. I'm surprised he didn't yell at her, though.
He doesn't let anyone touch his coat."
"Debbie's special," he answered, a proud look on his face.

"Is that her name? May I ask about her mother?" Willow already knew from Jarod, but was curious of how Broots would explain it.

"Her mother and I divorced, but I won custody of her through some anonymous information."

"And your other?"

"She doesn't know her mother," he admitted. "I adopted her when she visited. Actually, she was found on the streets."

"Who was?" Spike asked, walking in the room. "Excuse me, I'm assuming you're Mr. Broots." Willow had to smother a grin. He just sounded so…un-Spike.

"Ju-just Broots. We were talking about my daughters."

"I met them. Quite beauties, aren't they?" All Broots could do was nod. Maybe you two can tell me, who is this illustrious 'Miss Parker'?" Willow rolled her eyes, and Broots grinned. Debbie had told everyone she met about Miss Parker. Of course, Parker denied even looking at the girl.

"She will be working with me," Willow answered. "Don't get any ideas, Spike. She's nothing like Harmony or Dru."

"Please. Harm was nothing like Dru." Broots looked to Willow, who just shrugged. "Red, do you have my mug? I'm a bit thirsty." Willow nodded, and stood up to retrieve it from her bags.
"Spike, I have drinks here, why don't I serve you some?"
"I like special stuff, B. Don't think you have any." They were quieted when Willow re-entered the room.

"Broots, what can you tell me about Angelo?" Willow was anxious to know how the savant acted.

"He's basically a high-level empath. He can become the person he wishes, or to be more exact, who we wish."

"What if he doesn't know the person?"

"Didn't tell you much, did they?" Broots was worried. He could get in trouble for revealing information, but she needed to know if she was to help. "When we give him something that belonged to the person, he feels who they are." He watched as Spike reached down and pulled something out of his bag.

"Ya mean something of this sort?" The blonde held up a lab coat.

"Exactly. He would feel much the same of what the person wearing that was." Spike grinned.

"Perfect. Well, if its all okay with you I'd like to head to me room." Broots stuttered a bit, and pointed to the bedroom door.

"I'm a bit tired, too Broots. Where am I sleeping?" She could see him blush.

"I, uh, don't have much of a home. I need you to sleep with Anne." Willow nodded and grinned.

"I always wanted a sister. At home it was just me and my friends. Not much for girl talk."

"Just don't stay up to late," Broots joked. Willow again nodded and went off to find her bed.

"Anne?" She called out.

"I'm over here," a voice answered, and the lights were flipped on. "Sorry, I didn't know when you were coming." AnnaLeece was still nervous around people from the Centre, even though Broots had told her Willow was new.

"So," Willow started, "Have a secret, Leecy?" AnnaLeece stared at her.

"You know-" Willow nodded.
"I met Jarod about a month ago. He was working with my boss."

"And Spike?"

"My boss' childe. Don't ask. Anyway, I'm here to help him. Jarod recommended I stay with Broots."

"I never would have guessed. So why are you here?"

"I need to help Spike. He's…special."

"Special like how?"

"I'll tell you later. Anyway, I think Angelo is the key to helping him. The thing is, I can't tell Spike's 'father' about it, he'd never accept it."

"Okay. But you'll tell me more? I'm really tired." Willow agreed and rolled over.

The next morning Willow, Spike, and Broots all traveled to the Centre in separate cars. When they arrived, Spike left them, needing to sneak in on his own. Willow and Broots had clearance. Together they made their way to Angelo's space. There they found Spike, already talking with Angelo.

"Spike, get away from him!" Willow said. She didn't need Broots finding out the real reason she was here. Spike instantly stepped away from the other man. "Broots, as much as I love your company, I need to be alone with Angelo." She smiled sweetly at him. Broots nodded and left. "Spike, what were you doing? Broots wasn't supposed to see you."

"Sorry, love. I was just makin' friendly talk with the weirdo, here."

"He's not a weirdo, and he's right here! So stop talking like he's not. Anyway, we need to get back to Angelo." Spike took out the lab coat from his bag, and handed it to the savant.

"Angelo, can you tell anything from this coat?" Angelo looked up at her, his gaze glazed over.

"Arrogance, superior…so many animals!"

"What's he doin'?" Spike asked.

"I think how it works is he is feeling what the lab technician felt. Apparently, this one was a bit prejudiced. Angelo, do you know how to remove the chips the scientists implanted?"

Angelo nodded.

"Drugs!"

"Oh great. The idiot's gonna be messin' with my 'ead!"

"Well, you wouldn't be the first," Miss Parker's voice rang out. Both Willow and Spike looked up.

"Miss Parker, I didn't know you would be up here today," Willow said nervously. Spike was having a hard time concentrating. This woman was obviously all about power-something he found very attractive.

"I don't think we've met," he greeted. "I'm Spike, Willow's roommate. You want to go kill something?"

"Love to."